By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

Following each regular season points race, Kickin’ the Tires takes a deep look at the current playoff grids for both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, evaluating the postseason picture for NASCAR’s second and third tours. 

Camping World Truck Series

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Event: North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Race Winner: Johnny Sauter

Stage Winner(s): Brett Moffitt, John Hunter Nemechek

Who Won Big

• Johnny Sauter: Seven races into the 2018 season, Sauter has three wins and more than double the playoff points (17) of anyone outside of Noah Gragson. The 2016 Truck Series champion’s latest triumph came at Charlotte, where he fended off a late charge from Kyle Busch to secure the win.
• Brett Moffitt: He’s already all-but secured into the postseason with his Atlanta Motor Speedway win, but Moffitt can still help his cause by gaining more playoff points. The Iowan did just that in Charlotte, tallying a stage win and finishing fourth to hold third in the championship standings.
• Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen: The strong regular seasons for Rhodes and Friesen continued in North Carolina with finishes of fifth and sixth, respectively. Both drivers find themselves in the current playoff grid, with Rhodes holding a full race’s advantage and Friesen secure by 16 points.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Dalton Sargeant: A 19th-place run in Charlotte proved painful for the rookie Sargeant, dropping him to a 15-point deficit on eighth-place Justin Haley on the current playoff bubble.
• Cody Coughlin: After a decent spring surge, Coughlin drifted down the order in Charlotte. The Ohioan finished 17th, dropping to a 39-point hole on the current playoff grid.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver to make the playoffs.

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Kansas Speedway Results

Season Totals